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    ISABEL''s POV


    It was yet another busy day.


    Everyone was going around the hallways doing their own chores; sweeping the floors, dusting picture frames, tending to the gardens; and there I was heading to the laundry area carrying a huge basket full of clothes.


    There, I saw Ella diligently doing the laundry all on her own under the gentle rays of the spring sun.


    "Ella! Sorry it took me too long to get here. Everyone dumped a lot of extra tasks on me along the way."


    A frown was on my face, still annoyed of those tasks I was forced to take on.


    "Let me help you with the laundry."


    I said and immediately began separating the white and colored clothes.


    "Thank you for always helping me, Isa. Even though this is supposed to be my job."


    Ella replied with an apologetic look while scrubbing the heavy and thick fabrics in her small thin hands.


    I looked at her with pity and sadness when I noticed the abrasions on her hands. She had been washing clothes since 5 o''clock in the morning and there were still so many left that needed to be washed.


    She couldn''t finish these all alone. It''s because those lazy maids that were supposed to do the laundry with her left her here to slack off!


    "Don''t be sorry, Ella. I''m just glad I could help. In fact, you should rest for now and I''ll finish the laundry. Just look at your hands! It must hurt a lot yet you keep scrubbing those thick clothes by yourself."


    With a worried look, I urged her to stop washing the clothes.


    "But Isa, I-"


    "It''s alright. If you perhaps feel bad about me taking over the laundry, just rest for a bit and do some other chores - easier ones that don''t require you to wet your hands - like sweeping the ground. If you wet your hands, your abrasions will hurt again and they won''t heal."


    I smiled warmly at her.


    "O-okay. I''m really grateful."


    Still feeling guilty and hesitant, she could not help but simply nod awkwardly.


    "Don''t mention it!"


    After finally listening to me, Ella quietly sat on the wooden barrels at one corner of the laundry area.


    I couldn''t help but notice how much skinnier she had gotten these days. Why was she so much thinner than me, even though we ate the same food every day?


    I glanced at her who was quietly staring at the leaves of the trees that danced with the wind.


    Deep sunken cheeks, dull-looking obsidian eyes that lost its shine, skin so pale and lathered with traces of mistreatment and groundless torture; it was tightly stretched taut to her bones, as if it would tear at any moment. Her pallid lips cracked every time she smiled, so she rarely did so. And her beautiful wavy locks the color of midnight sky were dry and tangled.


    Our poor young Miss Ella.


    I couldn''t help but feel sad when I looked at her.


    My mom and I had been serving the count''s family for more than a decade.


    One day, when I was merely a child, the count brought in a disheveled little girl a bit younger than me whose hair was black as ebony and skin so pale and fair like pure snow.


    Only a few of the trusted servants, including my mom, were informed about the girl''s identity as the count''s illegitimate child.


    She was placed under the head maid''s care and was treated like a servant.


    Rather, she was treated even less than that.


    The head maid and the other servants treated her mercilessly. There were some kindhearted ones who helped her, but they were soon subjected to the same form of mistreatment she received. So, those who were not involved with tormenting her just kept quiet and turned a blind eye, as if they knew nothing; lest they''d incur the hateful servants'' ire too.


    One of those people that stepped up and helped Ella were my mother and I. We tended to her wounds when she was injured from getting beaten, shared her our food, our thick blankets and clothes, our firewood, and medicine. We were always there by her side to comfort her when she couldn''t bear the pain any longer.


    Mother tried everything she could to report to the count about Ella''s mistreatments, but the former always shrugged her off and even used me as a threat to make my mother shut her mouth.


    Afraid that the count might harm me, mom stopped asking him for help about Ella''s situation.


    We were mere servants and we had neither power nor authority. Unfortunately, all we could do was help lessen Ella''s pain, but not put a stop to it altogether.


    Soon, mother and I eventually began facing horrible things too; all because we stood up for a hapless innocent child.


    But my mother did not stop protecting me and Ella from everyone who tormented us. She acted as our shield against all the malicious people that wanted to hurt us because of their black hearts. She was the one who hugged us tenderly as the others scratched and soiled her back.


    Until one day, I just turned 20 and Ella was merely 17, ''our'' mother caught an illness and passed away.


    When mother died, Ella and I no longer had someone to rely on and protect us. We were all by ourselves.


    As we had expected, our situation only became worse as time passed.


    But we were always there for each other. And I loved Ella as much as I loved my mother. She was the last family I had, so I did everything I could to protect her like what my mother did to protect us when she was alive.


    Despite all the difficult things we suffered, we managed to stay alive and fought against life until today.


    I just wish...


    "I hope we can get out of this hell."


    I threw my head to Ella who had been sitting quietly until now. She was staring blankly at the trees, unmoving and slightly shivering from the cold.


    In this chilly spring weather, all we could afford to wear were thin layers of ragged clothes we stitched into pieces from our childhood.


    "We will, Ella. I know we will."


    I assured her.


    After we were done with our chores, we were about to go to the forest to gather some herbs and berries to eat. We hadn''t eaten anything since yesterday afternoon.


    "Oh, perfect timing! You two mongrels go to the capital and fetch us these things."


    As soon as we were about to leave, the other maids ordered us to buy them some new stationeries and handed us a pouch of money. The count''s territory, though located near the capital city, was still about 10 kilometers away from there, and we had to go there on foot without anything in our stomachs.


    "...Okay."


    I answered while biting my lips to hold in my frustration.


    "Hah! Of course! You''re not allowed to say no, anyway."


    They laughed as they walked past us, even bumping Ella''s shoulder, to show how much they loved it when they made our lives miserable.


    I unconsciously clenched my fists because of my inability to fight them back.


    We had lived under these cruel circumstances for more than a decade and we had experienced countless times what would happen if we fought back. Things would just get worse on our end and Ella would receive even harsher treatments from others. So we had no choice...


    Not yet.


    Soon, we would absolutely find a way out of this hellhole.


    ???· ????? ?.*


    On our way to the capital, we searched the nearby shrubs and trees for fruits or flowers we could hopefully eat during our walk. It wasn''t much but we managed to gather about a handful of berries. Of course, it was sadly not enough for us.


    For every meter we walked, our stomachs growled but we just laughed it off to alleviate our hunger.


    "Don''t worry, Isa. We will definitely sell a lot of gloves and handkerchiefs today, then we will buy a decent meal for dinner."


    Ella declared as positively as she could with a smile, but the weakness from starvation was evident in her voice.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    All I could do was hide my sadness as I smiled back.


    "Yes, we will! You worked really hard to make them so I''m sure many people will be amazed and buy from us."


    Ella had a praiseworthy talent for embroidery. She had made plenty of amazing pieces that showcased the intricate details and artistry of her designs. That''s why ever since mom died, she had been creating various pieces and I helped her sell them for cheap prices whenever we went to the capital. That was how we were able to make a living for ourselves outside the county.


    Soon enough, we reached the tall stone gate that led to the capital. After we presented our identity plaques to the guards, we finally entered and was welcomed by the bustling crowds of people.


    Once we entered, the sweet and fragrant scent of flowers wafted through the air and we were greeted by bouquets of them displayed on every stall across the road.


    "Wow... Look at all those beautiful flowers! Maybe it''s because the Flower Festival is near so there''s more people in the capital today."


    I exclaimed in awe.


    "That''s good, because that means we also have a lot of customers!"


    Ella added joyfully.


    I nodded at her with eager anticipation. Despite the weakness from starvation gradually gnawing at us, we merrily traversed the stony path.


    Without wasting a single second, Ella and I took out the handkerchiefs and gloves she embroidered and began doing our business.


    "Excuse me, would you perhaps be interested in an embroidered handkerchief?"


    "Finely embroidered gloves for 48 copper coins only! We have different designs perfect for the Flower Festival!"


    "We have roses, chrysanthemums, lilies, tulips..."


    "Can I take a look at the gloves?"


    "This handkerchief has fine embroidery."


    "Sorry, I just bought a new handkerchief yesterday..."


    "Oh, that''s pretty..."


    "I don''t need one."


    .


    .


    .


    .


    And so, an entire hour and a half passed.


    "Phew... That was exhausting. There are more people than I thought."


    Both of us slumped our back against the wall as we sat down on one vacant spot at the corner of an alley.


    Ella giggled softly as she looked at the pouch now filled with copper and silver coins.


    "Thanks to that, we earned more than we thought we would too. Hehe."


    With a warm loving smile on her pallid face, she lovingly caressed the pouch with her hands that were as thin as twigs.


    I couldn''t help but stare at her with pity and sadness in my eyes. She was originally a skinny girl when I first saw her when we were children, but she grew even thinner the more time we spent in that hellish manor. Perhaps, it was that sadness I felt that evoked me to take her hand and bring her to a decent-looking open-area restaurant nearby.


    "I-Isa? Do you want to buy something here?"


    She asked innocently, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to spend the money she''d earned from her skills to buy something for someone else.


    "I''m sorry, Ella. I know it''s your money and I have no right to tell you what to buy with it. But you haven''t had anything proper to eat for months and I''m growing more concerned about you. I mean... you''ve gotten even skinnier than before and I''m scared that your health will start deteriorating if you don''t eat something healthy at once."


    With a resolute look in my eyes as I held her hands, I hoped from the bottom of my heart that she''d care more about herself instead of thinking about others first.


    "B-but..."


    "You don''t have to buy me a meal. I''m completely fine! Just eat something healthy and nourish your body today, okay?"


    In the eyes of a stranger, I might look like I was the one begging her to buy me food, but I was practically begging her to treat herself.


    Who cares what others thought? What''s important was for her to eat right now.


    "But how could I eat something delicious by myself and leave you with nothing? You''re starving too!"


    She frowned disappointedly and unwillingly, but I merely shook my head.


    "I''m fine with just one piece of bread. I''m rather confident in my constitution. You''re the sickly one between us. You should take better care of yourself."


    "But Isa-"


    "Excuse me, ladies..."


    Before Ella could retort once again, a huge guy holding a wooden tray approached us. He had unkempt hair the color of newly sprouted grass and his eyes were dark brown like fertile soil. He looked just about the same age as us.


    In surprise, Ella hurriedly stepped back and bumped into a table behind her, causing her to lose her balance.


    I was about to grab her hand but failed. Thankfully, the man managed to catch her before she completely stumbled backwards.


    With the tray still on his one hand and the other on Ella''s back, I was momentarily relieved that nothing bad happened.


    However, Ella''s eyes shook in terror and she immediately escaped from his arms then scooched over behind me.


    "Ah, I''m sorry to surprise you and for touching you without permission."


    He seemed surprised himself.


    "......"


    Ella hid herself behind me as she tugged at my sleeves with trembling hands.


    "Are you okay, Ella? Were you surprised? Are you hurt anywhere?"


    She shook her head as I hugged her to comfort and assure her that she was safe.


    "Sorry, Sir. She''s scared of taller people so she must''ve been shocked."


    "Oh, I...see. I was just going to ask if you''d like to dine in. If you happened to say yes, I was going to give you one free meal for being my very first customers. But because I frightened your friend, let me offer two free meals instead as a token of my apology."


    There was sincerity in his voice and he was gentler than I thought despite his big stature.


    I could understand why Ella was scared. She never had good memories with bigger people so that was always her reaction to those with huge physiques. It became quite a hindrance for her especially when we were selling our merchandise as she had to meet with many different people at a time.


    "Is, Is that so? Will that really be okay?"


    "Of course!"


    If I wasn''t so hungry, I wouldn''t have accepted his offer because I believed it was better to not trust people so easily. But...


    I unconsciously touched my stomach.


    "What do you think, Ella?"


    I looked at her and asked for her opinion to which she eagerly responded by firmly nodding her head. I smiled at her cuteness before throwing my gaze back towards the man.


    "Well, if you insist, then we have no choice but to accept. Thank you!"


    The man smiled as he led us inside the restaurant.


    "Well, then. Please sit down."


    I held Ella''s hand and went to find ourselves a table.


    "Do you like it here? Are you comfortable?"


    "Yes..."


    She shyly answered as we both sat down. Then, the tall man proceeded to take our order.


    "Here''s our menu for today. What would you like to order?"


    As I scanned the menu, I searched for the cheapest meal and saw that it consisted of two roasted chicken breasts that cost 1 silver and 3 copper coins. This should be good enough.


    "I''ll have the roasted chicken breasts, please."


    "Alright," He wrote on his notebook then switched his gaze towards Ella, "Have you decided on your order, miss?" He asked with a gentle tone.


    "Uhm...i-is it really alright for me to get this for free?"


    She hesitantly asked as she sank her head down using the menu to hide her face.


    "Yes! As I said before, you''re my first customers. And I hope you also consider this as my apology for my rudeness earlier."


    He reassured her.


    "Uhm...You were not rude. Sorry, I got scared."


    She said apologetically, still hiding her face with the menu.


    For a moment, the man paused and stared at her.


    "Well, you don''t have to apologize for being scared, miss. It truly is my fault I surprised you."


    He smiled at her, "So please feel free to choose any one of these meals."


    Still hesitantly, Ella slowly scanned the menu until her eyes twinkled when it landed on a certain picture.


    "Do you like that one? This is one of my best dishes, the Roasted Duck with Sautéed Chanterelles and Creamy Herb Sauce."


    "Duck..."


    Ella looked so fascinated that she almost began drooling. But her eyes widened when she saw the price.


    "T-three silvers?!"


    "Oh, yes. It''s one of the highest quality meals I offer."


    The man smiled like it was really okay for him to give away 3 silver coins like that.


    "I-I''d like the same one that Isa ordered."


    With trembling hands, she put down the menu and looked down again as if trying to avoid the man''s gaze.


    "Hm? You''re welcome to order expensive ones, okay? After all, it''s just two meals so I''m more than willing to serve what would really satisfy you. If you like my cooking, then you''ll tell others and come back for more, right? Let''s just say this is a business strategy."


    He replied with a grin. He quite had the knack for making someone feel at ease. Well, if anything, he was right.


    He seemed really okay with it so I gathered all my courage and spoke as blatantly as I could.


    "W-well, since you''re really adamant about this, then I''ll have the Tuna Piccata instead, please."


    Gosh! I really said it! I was eyeing for that since I saw the menu but I felt really guilty about getting it for free.


    He softly chuckled.


    "Alright, miss."


    And he wrote that down on his note.


    "Then! I''ll... I''ll have the duck, please!"


    "Got it, ma''am! Coming right up!"


    Fueled by my brazenness, Ella also found courage to ask for the more expensive dish she wanted. I could only smile as I looked at her embarrassed face.


    ''I feel happy. I hope we could be like this everyday.''


    ?*????????*?????。? . to be continued .。? .?*?????????*?????